The Secret Scripture
Appearance
The Secret Scripture is a 2008 novel written by Irish playwright Sebastian Barry. The main character is a one-hundred year old woman, Roseanne McNulty, who now resides in the Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital. Roseanne decides to write an autobiography. The story is told using 2 contradictory narratives. The second narrative is the "commonplace book" of the current chief Psychiatrist of the hospital, which faces imminent demolition. He must decide who of his patients must be transferred. and who must be released into the community.He is particularly concerned about Rose, and begins to tentatively discover her history.
The novel won the Book of the Year at the Costa Awards, 2009[citation needed]